leblanc



(No Model.)

I 4Sheets-Sheet1. H. LEBLANG & E. VVA. LOISEAU.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

No. 252,387. Patented Jan.,17,1882-.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. LEBLANC & ,E.-V. A. LOISEAU.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

,387. Patented Jan. 17,1882.

(No Model.)

4Sheets-Sheet 3.- H. LEBLANU E. V. A. LOISEAU.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL'POR RAILWAYS.

No. 252,387. Patented Jam-17,1882.

I \lllllll luvs- In "I" mi /ware;

N. PETERS. Phnbumu n lm Wualfingtum uc v 4 sheets-sneet 4. H. LEBLANG 85 E. V. A. LOISEAU.

('No- Model.)

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

No. 252,387. Patented Jan. 17,1882.

IIIIIIIIIZZ'II N PETERS, Pholo-Ulhogrzlpher, Washinglun. a. c.

r UNITED" STATES PATENT HI POLYTE LEBtAnc AND EUGENE v. A. .LoisEAu, or PARIS, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,387, dated January 17, 1882,

Application filed July 7, i881. No modehl Patented in France January 10, [881.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HIPPOLYTE LEBLANC and EUGENE VICTOR AGHILLE LoISEAU, both of Paris, in the Republic of France, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Railways, 0f which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for signaling. automatically by means of electricity the passage of trains at determined points. It is more particularly designed for working roads on the-block system, or to protect thecrossings at grade, andis intended as an improvement onthe system described in Letters Patent No. 229,321, granted to us June 29, 1880. In the system as described in said patent the electromagnets for operating the signal-disks are placed in independent circuits, each provided with suitable closing-pedals.

In ,the present invention the signal-magnets are placed in separate branches of one circuit, and a commutator is employed which alternately. connects in one or the other of the branches. In.the present invention, also,the

pedal apparatus is much simplified over that described in said patent, a bellows being arranged to take the place of the clock mechanism. The bellows is arranged to beexpanded. by the depression of the pedal, and is provided with a small nozzle, so that it collapses very owly. i

The present invention further comprises an electric indicator for showing the approaimate position of a train on the road, and also the particular construction and arrangement of the commutator, pedal apparatus, and indicator, as hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings represent signaling mechanism constructed in accordance with -the invention, and illustrate what. is deemed the best mode of carrying the invention into efiect.

Figures 1 and 2 are an elevation and plan,

respectively, of electromagnetic apparatus for operating the signal-disks Figs. 3 and 4, elevation and plan of a commutator for chan gin g thecircuit through said apparatus; Figs. 5, 6, and 7, elevation, plan, and end view, respectively, of the pedal apparatus in its normal position; Fig. 8, an elevation of the pedal apparatus after it has been operated by the passage of a train 5 and Fig. 9, an indicatorfor' showing the approximate position of a train on the -road.- Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating the electrical connection of pedal apparatus, cammutator, and signal.

The apparatus for operating the signal-disks will first be described. -It closely resembles tliahdescribed in our before mentioned patent, and consists oftwo electro-magnets, E E,with their poles facing each other, two depending lever-arms, A A, attached at their upper ends to the bars a a, which are supported in beartro-magnet until itis released by, the passageof'a currentthrough the other.

A signal-disk is'attached to the lower ends of the lever-arms A A, and the jointed rod 0 conveysmotion to a pair of arms similar to A A,which "carry an additional disk. "The two disks move in oppositedirections, and

are designed for use in a lantern, as described inthe aforesaid patent; but itis obvious that only one disk could be usedanda different arrangement could be adopted. The catches are formedby two bars, F F, pivoted at (I, and operated by armature-bars G G, pivoted at gg, and having their outer ends extending under the projections f f.

The armature D is held in the position shown in the drawings by the catch-bar F, and is re. leased by thev attraction of the armature-bar G to the poles ofmagnet E. When the arma ture D is close to the magnet E it is held in position by the catch-bar F, and is released by the attraction ot'the armature-bar G. The

ends of armature-bars G G rest on the supports It h, and they can be made to open or close "a circuit, so as to operate an electric bell.

The commutator, Figs. 3 and 4, consists of two contact-springs, n it, two' contact-disks, N N, two ratchet -disks,.m m, of insulating material, a shaft, 25, on which said disks are mounted, and an electro-magnet, I, and arma- The shaft t is mounted upon brackets M. The

insulating ratchet-disks m m are placed alongside of their respective contact disks N N, and are arranged with the elevations in one opposite the depressions in the other, so that they will alternately move the springs n n out of contact with the disks N N.

The electro-magnet I is held in position by the suppdrt H. Ir, and is retracted by the spring 1). The pressare of the spring and the amount of movement of the armature are regulated by set-screws. The pawl Land ratchet-wheeltare so arranged that they impart rotation to the shaft i when the armature Kis retracted.

The pedalapparatus, Figs.5 to 8, is constructed as follows The bar Pis pivoted at r to small uprights g at one end of the base 0. At the opposite, end of base 0 is placed a bellows,Q, which is raised upon supports q, so as to allow access of air to the valve inlet in the bottom board of the bellows. An ordinary flap-valve may beused. The nozzle of the bellows is pro vided with a small opening, so that the air will'be slowly expelled.

On top of the bellows are small brackets t, provided with rollers u, under which the springs to project. The springs tend to hold the bellows extended. The bar P extends above the bellows, and is provided with a weight, 8', which is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the springs u and close the bellows. At the opposite end of the barF is the pedal 8, which receives the impact of the carwheel. Normally the pedalis raised and the bellows closed, as shown] in Figs. 5, 6, and 7;

but as soon as a train passes the pedal 8 is depressed, the weight sislifted, and the springs 'u, exertingtheir power, expand the bellows, as shown in Fig. 8. The air being able toescape from the bellows only in small quantities prevents its sudden collapse, so that the bar P, after it has been operated by the first wheel in the train, is held in position until the train has passed. .The train'thus gives to it a single vibration, and the violent oscillationby the action of the successive wheels is avoided. When the weight 8 is released by thetrain it slowly descends until the normal position is resumed. A forked bar, or, straddling the bar 151, prevents lateral movement thereof. The operation of the bar P is made to close an electric circuit for operating the signal or other apparatus. Themetallic posts y, fastened in the base 0, are connected with the opposite poles of the circuit. A spring, 3 fastened at the end to one of said posts, projects under the bar 1?. The other post is provided with a contact-point, y. In the normal position of the apparatus the spring y is held out of contact "with the point y, as shown in Fig. 7; but when the pedal sis depressed by the car-wheel the springy is released and makes an electrical contact with 0 thus closing the circuit be tween the posts 3 The armature K ispivoted at- The indicator, Fig. 9, consists of a dial, R, a pointer, S, a ratchet-wheel, T, and an electromagnet, U, with an armature andpawl. Each time a circuit is'made and broken through the coils of the magnet U the pointer S advances one division on the dial.

The different apparatus and their individual action having been explained, the manner in which they are or may be combined for opera-.

tion will now, be described.

The signaling apparatus and commutator are connected in' circuit with one or more pedal apparatus, so as to be controlled thereby. Ordinarily two pedal apparatus arranged a suitable distance apart are employed, as shown in Fig.

-10. From one of the posts yofeach pedal apparatus the circuit is completed through the coils of commutator-magnet I to one of the brackets \M. The coils of the signal-magnets E E are connected at one end with the commutator-springs n a, respectively, and at the other end with a battery and the second post 3 of the pedal apparatus. A return-wire or ground-connection may be employed. Whenever the circuit is closed at the pedal apparatus the current passes through the commutator-magnet I, and also through one of the signal-magnets,E or E, and when the circuit is broken the disks N N on m are revolved one step, so that when a circuit is completed again the current passes through theothersignal-magnet. Thus thecommutator brings the signal-magnets alternately into action, and it is immaterial whether the circuit is closed by the same or by adifferent pedal apparatus. Taking the commutator and signal apparatus in the positioir represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, if a circuit is closed between y and y by the pedal, a current traverses the coils of magnet l, the bracket M, shaft 1., contact disk N, and spring a of the commutator and the coils of magnet E of the signal apparatus, thus shifting the armature D and arms A A and the signal-disks attached to said arms. So soon,however, as the contact between y and y ceases the commutator-armatureis retracted and operates the shaft t. The contact between spring a and disk N is thus broken and electricalconnection established between thesprin g n and disk N, so that the signal-magnetE is cut out and the magnet E brought into circuit with commutator-magnet. Where the circuit is long a relay with local battery may be employed to operate the signal apparatus; or,.instead of having the springs n a form branches of the main line, they may be 'connected with the signal-magnets in branches of a local circuit.

In applying the invention to block-signaling two signal apparatusare placed at intermediate stations and one at each of the terminal stations. When atrain leaves a station the signal apparatus at said station and at the next station is set at dangernbyan operator tonchin g a push-button. The operator may be notified that the signal has been properly made by using an electric bell, which is automatically brought into action by the signal appa IIO 252,3s7 i a ratus at the farther station. The'train re-v stores the signal apparatus when it arrives at the farther station or at other determined point. As it is guarded always on both sides by signals, danger from collisions will be avoided. t i

In the case of grade-crossings with singletrack roads only one signal apparatus, which is controlled by a pedal apparatuson each side of the crossing, is employed. t I

.A post, y, of each pedal apparatus is connectedby a brahchwi'th the coils of commutator-magnet. The depression of the first pedal sets the signalat danger. The depression ,of the second pedal restoresit to safety, and

itis immaterial in which direction the train is moving.

Withdouble-track roadstwo signal apparatus are placed at theerossing and two pedal apparatus are employed for each track.

The indicator, Fig. 9, is connected in circuit with a series of pedal apparatus placed, say, a mile apart, and as the circuit'is successively: closed by them thepointer is advanced step by step on the dial, indicating the approximate position of the train. p.

It is obvious that parts of the invention may be used withoutthe others, and that the forms, proportions, dimensions, and materials usedin making the apparatus may be varied. It is obvious, also, that the apparatus described may i be used on tramways and other roadsas well scribing witnesses.

disk connected with said armature, of a commutatorcomprising an electro-magnetand armature, and circuit-changin g devices, operated by.said magnet to'bring into circuit oneor the other of the signal-magnets, substantially as described.

. 3. The commutator described, comprising the shaft, with the contact-disks andin'sulating ratchet-disks mounted on said shaft, the two contact-springs, the electro-magnet, armature,,=and retractile spring, and the pawl and ratchet-wheel, arranged to turn said shaft w hen the armature is retracted, substantially as described. 7

4. The pedal apparatus, comprising the bellows, weight, and spring, in combination with the pedal and contactdevices for making and breaking an electric circuit, said pedal and weight being disconnected from said bellows, sp'as to be moved by the train independently thereof, and said spring being adapted .to expand thebellows when the pressure of the weight is removed, substantially as described,

5. The combination of a pedal, its weighted lever, a bellows, a fixed and a movable electrical contact, one of said contacts being carried by a spring, substantially as described.

'6. The combination of a signal apparatuscomprising two electro-ma-gnets, with armatures movingvbetween them, pedal apparatus comprising a pedal, bellows, and electrical contacts, and a commutator; comprising circuitchangiug devices, pawl, ratchet, retractile spring,electro-magnet, and armature, arranged so that circuit-changing devices are moved step by step and are shifted when the armature is retracted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification before two sub- H. LEBLANO.

. V. A. LOISEAU.

Witnesses: I

Row. M. HOOPER, AUG. ViNcK. 

